College Football Bowl Projections 2018: Texas rises into New Year’s Six
December 29
No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Michigan
College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
4 or 8 pm ET, ESPN – Dallas, Texas
Alabama survived an early scare against FCS Citadel that saw them tied at 10 at halftime. The Crimson Tide exploded in the second half, scoring 33 consecutive points en route to a 50-17 victory. The big development from the game was the health of Tua Tagovailoa. The sophomore Heisman front runner looked healthier than he has in weeks, ditching the bulky knee brace that restricted his movement. He thew for 340 yards and three touchdowns while adding another score on the ground. A 100% healthy Tua would be huge for Nick Saban and company as they head into the Iron Bowl next week and the SEC Championship the week after that.
Michigan also got a scare, but will retain its No. 4 ranking after an 11-point win over Indiana. The Wolverines moved the ball effectively, but had to rely on six field goal makes from Jake Moody due to an inability to finish drives. They weren’t as crisp defensively, either, giving up nearly 400 yards of offense to an Indiana side that was desperately trying to pull the upset and gain bowl eligibility. The Wolverines trailed at the half, but took the lead for good in the third quarter on a Karan Higdon touchdown run. All eyes now turn toward The Game next week as Michigan looks to snap a six game losing streak to Ohio State and secure a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game.
No. 2 Clemson vs. No. 3 Notre Dame
College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl:
4 or 8 pm ET, ESPN – Miami, Florida
Clemson wasn’t as sharp as they had been in recent weeks, but still managed a comfortable 35-6 win over a solid opponent in Duke. Travis Etienne score a couple of third quarter touchdowns that put the game away after the Tigers went into the locker room with just a 14-6 lead over the pesky Blue Devils. Clemson’s defense bent slightly but refused to break, keeping Duke out of the endzone. They haven’t allowed an offensive touchdown in over eight quarters of action, and haven’t allowed one with less than a 30-point lead since their close call with Syracuse in September. The Tigers now turn their attention to rival South Carolina, before taking on Pittsburgh in the ACC Championship.
The injury to Eric Dungey early provides a slight asterisk, but Notre Dame passed its final test of the regular season with flying colors as they come closer to clinching the first College Football Playoff bid. The Irish overwhelmed the Orange in Yankee Stadium, with Ian Book returning to action and keying the offensive attack.
It was the Irish’s defense, however, that stole the show in the Bronx. They forced three turnovers and held a potent Syracuse offense to just 234 yards, while not allowing a point until a single sad field goal went through the uprights with 10 seconds remaining.
Next. NFL Mock Draft 2019: First round after Week 11. dark
With lowly USC on the docket next weekend, it seems almost certain that Notre Dame will be one of the four teams in this year’s playoff.